BILL JR. WILL BE THE FIRST FAMILY MEMBER TO HEAD THE COMPANY IN A DECADE. HIS WARM UP? RUNNING THE NFL LIONS

Amid the pandemonium of 80,000 roaring Detroit Lions fans, William Clay Ford Jr. anxiously strides the freshly chalked sidelines of the Silverdome. A lanky 40-year-old with boyish features, Ford looks a tad out of his element on this turf of cleated gladiators. But it's clear during the season opener against the Atlanta Falcons that the man known as Bill Jr. feels right at home. As the Lions star running back Barry Sanders lopes out onto the field, Ford reaches out for an exuberant high five and pumps his fist in the air triumphantly. "I love game day," he says.